I had no machine at all when my first two were three and four. My stepmother's aunt had been a seamstress all her life and she found a treadle for me and had my dad bring it over for me. I learned on that beautiful old treadle with the help of a neighbor who was an avid sewer for her two girls. I sewed all my children's clothes on that machine for about 10 yrs. I then got an electric one which was awful and my husband took the treadle and put a hand wheel on it and used it to make leather sheathes for the hunting knives he made. I now rue the day I ever let go of that wonderful Wheeler and Wilson #9. I had no idea what a treasure I had.